1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera that stores image information obtained by an imaging device in a recording medium, and more particularly, to a digital camera having an improved portability and ease of use and a method of protecting a digital camera.
2. Discussion of the Background
A camera using a photographic film (i.e. a silver halide film camera) has been generally used for photography. Recently, digital cameras have become increasingly widespread. In the digital cameras, an object image is photographed by a solid-state imaging device, such as a charged coupled device (CCD) or the like, and image data of an object are obtained and digitally recorded as static image (still image) or moving image (movie image) in an IC (integrated circuit) card, such as a printed circuit (PC) card with a semiconductor memory, a video floppy disk or the like.
In the digital cameras, except optical systems, almost all functions, from basic photographing functions to add-on accessory functions, are digitally performed. As image data of an object are processed electrically and a space for e.g. film transport mechanism is not required, much latitude is allowed in designing a structure of the camera compared to silver halide film cameras. Therefore, it is generally easy to design a digital camera surpassing in ease of use, portability and appearance through an appropriate plan for adequate functions and layout of each part.
However, at present, most of digital cameras are configured following a standard layout of silver halide film cameras, and therefore, layout and handling ease of a digital camera remains similar to that of a silver halide film camera. Further, not many digital cameras have a lens cover to protect its photographing lens.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-43534 and Japanese Published Patent Publication No. 7-82186, an example of a silver halide film camera, having a strobe flashing unit on a lens cover which moves up and down to cover and uncover the front of a photographing lens, is described, and the cameras are configured such that the front of the photographing lens is opened and at the same time the strobe flashing unit located inside of the lens cover is directed toward an object when the lens cover is moved upward to be opened. And the front of the photographing lens is covered by the lens cover and at the same time the strobe flashing unit located inside of the lens cover is concealed inside when the lens cover is moved downward to be closed. Further, the camera has a built-in collapsible rangefinder in the lens cover having a light passage above the photographing lens when the lens cover is opened.
Also, for example, a silver halide film camera, having a lens cover to cover and uncover the front of a photographing lens by sliding the lens cover in the directions of left and right, is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-333687. The camera has a lens cover configured to open and expose the photographing lens when it is slid to the left (viewed from the front), and to close and cover the front of the photographing lens when it is slid to the right. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-333687, only the sliding lens cover is described and description of a strobe flashing unit is not included.
The cameras shown in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 6-43534 and Japanese Published Patent Publication No. 7-82186 are silver halide film cameras, not a digital camera, and the lens cover moves up and down. The lens cover of the camera in the above Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-333687 slide in the directions of left and right in front of the photographing lens. Further, the overall shape of cameras illustrated in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 6-43534, 7-333687 and Japanese Published Patent Publication No. 7-82186 is that of a classic type.
As mentioned above, in digital cameras, even though much latitude is allowed, compared to silver halide film cameras, in designing a structure of the camera, the greater latitude is not fully utilized to improve ease of use, portability and appearance of the camera, and the digital cameras generally employ a classical shape of silver halide film cameras, and even though a lens cover to protect a photographing lens is incorporated, the shape of the digital cameras does not differ significantly from that of silver halide film cameras. Further in a digital camera, a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like is widely used for displaying an image information and various information relating to an operation of the camera. A cover glass may be used to protect a screen of the LCD, which however may cause a reduction of transmissivity to the screen and a reflection of light due to its permeability of light and reflected light of the surface, and the visibility of displayed image may be impeded.